Skip to main content

The template strand DNA sequence of a small gene (with no introns) is as follows: 3' tacaggagagtcgctact 5' Determine the mRNA sequence for this...

When a eukaryotic cell needs to send genetic material out of its nucleus to create proteins, rather than send out its precious and sensitive DNA into the cytoplasm, it will copy its DNA and make a copy called messenger RNA, or mRNA for short. The copy will look much like the opposite side of a DNA strand with Adenine (a) nucleotides to match Thymines (t) on the DNA and Cytosines (c) matching Guanines (g). There...

When a eukaryotic cell needs to send genetic material out of its nucleus to create proteins, rather than send out its precious and sensitive DNA into the cytoplasm, it will copy its DNA and make a copy called messenger RNA, or mRNA for short. The copy will look much like the opposite side of a DNA strand with Adenine (a) nucleotides to match Thymines (t) on the DNA and Cytosines (c) matching Guanines (g). There will be one small difference: instead of using Thymine on the mRNA, the cell uses Uracil (u) nucelotides to match Adenines. 


We begin with our DNA code of:


tac agg aga gtc gct act


Once transcribed, before flipping the 5' and 3' sides:


aug uuc ucu cag cga uga


Each triplet of nucleotides will then code for a different amino acid to be added to the growing protein by ribosomes. All amino acids MUST start with the Met amino acid, which tells the ribosome to begin assembling a protein and end with a STOP codon, which says the protein is finished. For this specific amino acid chain the codons are:


MetPheSerGlnArgStop


Once flipped, your amino acid chain will be:


aguagcgacucuccugua


Your answer was mostly correct, except you found your amino acids after flipping the 5' and 3' ends of the mRNA, which caused you to read some codons backwards. In that case you never would have had a Met (your first codon should have been Ser) and you would not have had a Stop codon to finish the protein chain. I hope this helped you better understand the transcription process!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is hyperbole in the story "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his... The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him plu
Post a Comment
Read more

How can I analyze Moon and Six Pence by Somerset Maugham?

In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of... In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of that society. His decision to e
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some literary devices in Macbeth, Act V, Scene 1?

Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not... Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh, oh! (5.1.53-55) Hyperbole - Obvious exaggeration  There is also h
Post a Comment
Read more